Please Don't Leave Me to My Dreams
by Queza De Santi
Summary: Dreams don’t have this kind of happily ever after. UsaMamo. AU.
1. Chapter 1

Title: **Please Don't Leave Me to My Dreams**

Author: Kihana Dulay

Fandom: Sailor Moon

Pairing: Usagi x Mamoru

Theme: Gangster

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon nor any of the characters.

**Word Count: 13 655**

Date Finished: 22 January 2010

Note: This is my first Sailor Moon fanfic – a gift to **Alicia Blade**! :) I'm super sorry it's waaay late, Alicia-san. :( I've never finished watching the entire series/manga. Most of my information is taken from fanfics. I never even reached the Shitennou or the Stars! XD So, for any mistaken descriptions, feel free to tell me, so I can correct them. Also, I didn't edit this anymore after I wrote it (for one entire day! x___X), so I apologize for any errors I missed. :) Lastly, as per my brother's suggestion, I'm dividing this into chapters, so that it's much easier to read; although, I'm posting it all at once. ;) It's rather long, but I hope you enjoy! :)

Gomenasai: I'm sorry

Baka: Stupid

Oniisan: Older brother

Arigatou (gozaimasu): Thank you very much (polite)

Hai: Yes

Daijoubu desu ka?: Are you all right?

Daijoubu: I'm okay

Imouto: Little sister

Minna: Everyone

Otousan: Father

Ano: Umm

Aishiteru: I love you

Okaasan: Mother

Demo: But

Summary: Dreams don't have this kind of happily ever after.

Warning/s: AU. (This is only my second AU fic, ever. o.0)

When they met, it was by chance. It wasn't like you could plan these things, after all.

They were each walking down the street, crowded on a Friday afternoon. The sidewalk was definitely wide enough to fit two people side by side without even grazing the other; however, on such a day when almost everyone was on the said street, that became impossible. In other words, it really wasn't surprising that you'd bump into someone in those circumstances. But, fate must have been having a ball when it decided to make these two people bump into each other.

"Ah!" A flurry of blonde and flailing limbs was about to meet the hard concrete when a strong arm reached out to stop her descent.

"Gomenasai! I didn't mean to…" the petite blonde high schooler began to say upon regaining her balance; that is, until she lifted her clear blue gaze to meet with deep pools of midnight.

A minute of silence passed between the two before the owner of the deep blue eyes, a tall handsome dark-haired man, spoke in a voice that unknowingly sent shivers up the small girl's spine.

"Watch where you're going, Odango Atama."

"Gome –" the girl started to say again before she caught what he said, "Hey, hold on a minute! What did you call me!?"

For a fraction of a second, even the man's eyes widened as if he couldn't believe what he said, but that look vanished as quickly as it came and, instead, he merely retorted, "Well, what else are those things on your head supposed to be but meatballs? Now, move out of my way. I have somewhere to be."

A cute frown slipped over the girl's face, a fire alighting in her eyes, "Well, excuse _me_! Just who do you think you are, Mister? You bumped into me as much as I bumped into you, AND you have no right to insult my hair, thank you very much!"

"I'm the leader of the Midnight Rose. Know of us, Odango?" the man said in a cold voice.

The Midnight Rose was the largest and most powerful gang in Tokyo. Their current headquarters lay in Juuban, mostly because that's where their leader stayed, but they had members all over the city. The gang was known to be ruthless, but never without a cause. They helped maintain peace among the people, only attacking those who threatened that peace, such as other gangs seeking power. Oftentimes, they were even known to aid the police in difficult cases.

Their leader was said to be the coldest, most ruthless man in the entire Japan. He had no qualms about killing when necessary, and he could very well accomplish that task within a few minutes. It didn't matter how many went against him. He could take down ten men in the same amount of time. All this he did with a cool façade – and he was only twenty-one! It was no wonder other gangs feared him. Oh, he was chivalrous, saving damsels in distress and the like; however, he spared no emotions for anyone. Although he was known to be startlingly handsome, no woman wanted to go near him and his icy aura. Still, many enjoyed watching him from afar – the leader of the Midnight Rose, Chiba Mamoru.

Tsukino Usagi, for that was the name of the blonde teenager, looked up at him with wide eyes, for a moment unsure of what to do. But, the name he used to call her really struck a nerve (was that really it? she asked herself), and she couldn't seem to let it go.

"I don't care who you are, you stuck-up jerk! You have no right to just insult me like that! I do have a name, you know – Tsukino Usagi!" she glared.

To say Mamoru was surprised was an understatement. This girl was fearless. She just didn't back down – and all over a name too. He couldn't help enjoying this little pointless battle of theirs.

The smirk that crossed his face made Usagi a bit suspicious, but she held her ground. She didn't know what possessed her to do this. She'd never been one to engage in arguments of any sort, unless it was against her annoying younger brother. There was just something about this man before her that compelled her to stay where she was and continue their verbal sparring. Perhaps it was his eyes, those dark pools that seemed to pull her in and drown her in their depths. Realizing she was staring, Usagi shook her head and glared once again at the gang leader.

As Usagi was staring up at his eyes, Mamoru couldn't help getting lost in her clear blue orbs as well. He couldn't fathom why he was so attracted to this girl. She just called him – him! The leader of the most feared gang in Japan! – a jerk, as if he was any other common kid along the street. He wouldn't settle for that, oh no. He was supposed to be feared by everyone and, to some extent, respected as well. No one called him a jerk, no one.

Just as he was about to tell her so, a shot rang out in the street. Screams were heard as people began pushing each other to get away from the man wielding the firearm. Mamoru instinctively grabbed Usagi's arm and pushed her behind him as he faced the gun-toting gangster.

"Ah, there you are, Chiba Mamoru. I didn't expect to find you so soon, but oh well. All the better for me. What say you to a little game?" the man cackled.

Mamoru squeezed Usagi's arm protectively before he reluctantly pushed her away from him, all unseen by the man standing a few meters in front of him. He then stepped forward and, in a clear voice, said, "I have no time for games."

"Well, too bad. I was up for some fun," the man smirked evilly.

Before the said man even had a chance to point his gun at anyone, a shot rang out and the man lay on the floor, dead.

As people scrambled to get away from the scene, Mamoru turned around to see if the Odango-haired blonde was all right, but she was nowhere to be seen. He sighed regretfully before he pulled on his icy cloak and stalked away as if nothing out of the ordinary had taken place.

On the other hand, as all this was going on, Usagi was a bit confused to say the least. One moment, she was arguing with the infamous leader of the Midnight Rose; the next, chaos seemed to have been let loose. She only vaguely took note of the gunshot and the screams. She was more focused on the fact that Mamoru had taken a hold of her arm and pulled her behind him. She knew she was supposed to feel afraid, what with the events taking place not how many meters from where she stood, but she couldn't even seem to filter in the fear with Mamoru there. She couldn't explain it; she just felt protected, even as Mamoru squeezed her gently and pushed her away.

She did feel a twinge of fear though when the man said he was going to kill Mamoru. And when the gunshot rang out, she was almost afraid to see Mamoru lying on the ground, not moving. But, as she saw the man fall, she knew Mamoru was all right. Before she could go to him though, the people trying to get out of harm's way had pushed and pulled at her from all directions. Soon enough, she was too far away from the dark-haired man, and she could only watch as he walked away.

Usagi dejectedly walked the rest of the way home, not even sure why she was feeling so down in the first place. As she entered the front door of her house, her mother immediately ran to her and threw her arms around the surprised teen. A worried spiel about the news of the fight on the street explained the soft sobs and tight embrace of the older woman. Usagi gently patted her mother's back and assured her she was all right. A moment later had her father bursting through the door, angrily ranting about gang members and ruffians. It was then that Usagi knew she couldn't tell them, or anyone for that matter, about her encounter with the dark-haired gang leader. She also knew that, no matter what, she just had to see him again.


	2. Chapter 2

The next time they met, she was also on her way home from school. She had decided to pass by a popular arcade to grab a bite after the long day. She was pleasantly surprised to see him sitting at the bar when she walked in.

He looked good she had to admit. The black shirt he wore showed off his tone torso and well-defined abs, and his dark jeans seemed to cling sensually to his impossibly long legs. The way his hair was sexily tousled did nothing but enhance the already drool-worthy picture he exhibited. Usagi had to remind herself to keep her saliva in check as she made her way to the counter.

"Konnichiwa, Motoki-niisan!" Usagi called by way of greeting to the sandy-haired man manning the bar.

Furuhata Motoki was a congenial person, and he always managed to cheer Usagi up at the end of the day whenever she visited the arcade. His kind green eyes always knew when Usagi needed a chocolate milkshake as a pick-me-up. He treated the young blonde as a little sister, and he knew she looked up to him as her gentle older brother. He was rather fond of the vivacious teen, and he liked seeing her happy.

"Konnichiwa, Usagi-chan! What would you like today?" Motoki smiled.

"A strawberry milkshake sounds good, 'niisan," Usagi replied.

As Motoki nodded and went off to fulfil her order, Mamoru finally turned to look at her. "Odango," he greeted with a teasing smile, one that nearly sent Usagi to her knees but one that definitely made her heart race.

"Didn't I tell you not to call me that, Mamoru-baka!?" she muttered with a glare.

Mamoru was unusually delighted when she said his name, even with the extra suffix. He really couldn't seem to get enough of this girl – and he'd only met her once before!

"Ah yes, I think you told me your name was… Tsukino Usagi, wasn't it, O-dan-go?" was his mocking reply.

The silky way he said her name stunned her for a bit before she realized he still ended his statement with that annoying nickname.

"Stop calling me Odango, baka!" she growled, as he chuckled at her.

"Erm, Usagi-chan? Mamoru?" Motoki had returned, and upon seeing two of his favorite people interacting with each other, he was especially confused, knowing how different the circles the two walked in were.

"Ah, arigatou gozaimasu, Motoki-niisan!" Usagi said as Motoki handed her the strawberry milkshake.

Seeing as the two weren't answering his unspoken question, Motoki decided to take the direct approach, "You two know each other?"

Mamoru looked at him for a moment, debating on how to explain his acquaintance with the girl, but Usagi answered for him.

"We bumped into each other on the street the other day. He teased me about my hair, so I got mad. That was the day some man started shooting on the street. Mamoru-kun protected me," the blonde nonchalantly explained, too caught up in her milkshake.

As both Mamoru and Motoki stared at her in surprise, she suddenly realized what she said. She gasped and stuttered, hoping to get away.

"Uh, um… you see… I have to go!" She made to dash away, but Mamoru suddenly grabbed her by the hand.

In a whisper that Motoki couldn't hear, he said, "Can I… meet you again?"

The smile Usagi gave him made his heart jump for reasons he couldn't yet understand, "I'd like that."

With the promise of another meeting, he let go of the teen as she bade him and Motoki farewell. The look on Motoki's face when he turned around didn't bode well for him, but he only sighed and made himself comfortable on his stool. This was going to be a long and fairly unpleasant interrogation, he could tell. But, for the chance to meet that girl again, he would do anything.


	3. Chapter 3

The two of them met fairly frequently since that time in the arcade. Actually, the arcade made for their usual hangout. As much as Mamoru wanted to take her out on the streets, he was wary of leaving her out in the open where she could possibly get hurt should someone else try to attack him as what happened during their first meeting.

Although Usagi wondered why he refused to meet with her anywhere but at the arcade, she was content to at least spend some time with him. True, their meetings usually began with much teasing and angry comments, but that's all they were really – teasing. She knew he wasn't trying to insult her, and she actually enjoyed their verbal skirmishes. Of course, she enjoyed their actual conversations much more. They would often begin by teasing in front of Motoki at the bar, but after she'd order, they'd relocate themselves to a booth and actually begin to talk.

She learned a lot about him during those times. She knew he was orphaned as a child, and that both his parents died in a car accident when he was six. He had amnesia then, so he couldn't remember them nor his name. The doctors were the ones who told him he was called Chiba Mamoru. In the orphanage, he was a moody boy, and no one wanted to adopt the "problem child". When he was of the age, he was given some money to go to school. She found that he was actually an intelligent person – the valedictorian of his high school. When he turned eighteen, a lawyer approached him and told him that he was left with close to a million dollars from his parents' will.

When she asked him how he ended up in a gang, more so as the leader of the Midnight Rose, he explained that since nobody wanted to hang out with him in the orphanage, there were times he'd sneak out to roam the streets. He would amuse himself by stealing meaningless trinkets from passers by – a button, a ribbon, a hat – without their knowing. Sometimes, the bigger kids would corner him and try to bully him. He fought back but didn't always win.

On one such day, a man saw him fighting to protect a small dog, which the kids were throwing stones at. After scaring the kids away, the man talked to him and convinced him to join the gang. Although he still lived in the orphanage and received the money for his schooling from them, he would spend his afternoons after school with the members of the gang, learning how to defend himself and others. The man who talked to him was apparently the leader of the Midnight Rose at the time, and he treated Mamoru as though he were his son.

One day though, Mamoru reached the gang's headquarters only to learn that the man was killed by a rival gang. Furious, Mamoru went and searched for the said gang and killed their leader within a few minutes. The members were afraid of him then. He was only twelve at the time. For such a kid to have such power, there was no wonder they feared him.

The members who lost their leader ended up following Mamoru and joining the Midnight Rose. Upon learning what he had done, the members of the Midnight Rose appointed Mamoru as their leader. Even at such a young age, he inspired authority. He took it upon himself to settle disputes between gangs and even with the police, and he convinced many to join him. He was a very respected and feared leader, including to gangs apart from his own. He could bring even the strongest gangsters to their knees, but he never engaged in unwarranted battles and bloodshed. Only lower gangs do that, after all.

Although he was able to balance school and managing the gang when he was in high school, he chose not to continue on to university. He very well could have with his grades and money, but he just didn't seem to find his path there. So, after he graduated, he took to a full-time involvement in the activities of the Midnight Rose. At the age of twenty-one, he was already known all throughout the country.

"You're very strong, Mamo-chan," Usagi had said upon learning of his history. He was amazed at the smile she bestowed on him then. Although he never thought himself as better off compared to anyone else, her smile made him feel like he won the world.

It was funny, really, how close they became after spending countless hours together. It surprised him the first time she called him "Mamo-chan" instead of "Mamoru-baka", but he immediately liked it. It warmed his heart just to hear her say it. Of course, that change served as a warning to him – he couldn't get any closer to her than he already was.

From their talks, he knew what kind of a girl she was – just how sweet, kind and friendly. He knew she was well loved by both her family and friends, and everyone she came to meet actually. She was eighteen, on her last year at Juuban High. Although her grades weren't stellar, he knew she could do well if she tried. He'd seen her do it, after all, and even helped her while she was at it.

The way she spoke about her friends clearly showed her love for them. There was the shy but smart Mizuno Ami. She often tutored Usagi and encouraged her to do her best in her studies. Kino Makoto was a tough girl, but she had a surprising passion for cooking. Usagi absolutely adored food by her. Usagi was the only daughter in her family, but she may as well have had a long lost twin in Aino Minako. It wasn't just in looks that the two shared similarities, but in hobbies as well. Then there was the fiery Hino Rei. She and Usagi bickered a lot, but they were both protective of the other.

Although Mamoru wouldn't tell her, he had actually watched as Usagi had come out of the school on certain days, together with her friends. He could tell from their interactions and the descriptions Usagi had given him who each girl was – the blue-haired genius, the brunette chef, the blonde model and the raven-haired priestess. But, what always drew his attention was the angel in the middle of the chattering group – his golden-haired, blue-eyed Usako. Her beauty both inside and out seemed to shine through her, and he noticed many boys turn their gazes to watch. No matter how much he wanted to just walk up to her and claim her as his in front of all those boys, he knew he couldn't.

Many people still wanted to harm him. He was in a gang, after all. The very people after him would certainly have no qualms about stooping as low as they could go just to ensure his disposal. If they knew how precious Usagi was to him, they would surely go after her and hurt her. He couldn't let that happen. If she were to be harmed in any way, he would never forgive himself. It was for this very reason that he had no choice but to drive her away.


	4. Chapter 4

Usagi had been surprised when Mamoru coldly shrugged her off one day after all their talks. She couldn't understand what it was she did wrong. She thought they had become close and that they understood each other. She wanted so badly to tell Mamoru how much he meant to her. Even with his reputation, she didn't know how, but she managed to fall in love with the dark-haired man. She knew her family and friends would never approve, but she couldn't help the way she felt. She knew that, even on the first moment they met, she had fallen for him. She fought with him then, not because he had insulted her, but because she couldn't stay away. She looked forward to afternoons they'd meet in the arcade because she couldn't wait to see him and hear his deep voice that sent shivers up her spine. She wanted to hold him and have him hold her. She wanted to kiss him. But, most of all, she wanted to tell him she loved him. And now, she didn't even see him anymore.

The days that followed their "break-up", if you could even call it that seeing as they were never actually "together", Usagi's friends had noticed her melancholic demeanor. They didn't know about Mamoru, but they had noticed how cheerful their blue-eyed friend was on certain afternoons, and how she'd immediately rush off after school to a place they didn't know. They never bothered to follow her, just happy that she was happy. But, as the days crawled on and her mood wasn't lifting, they had to wonder if it had something to do with those mysterious afternoons.

"Usagi-chan?" Ami had called the blonde who had her head buried in her arms on the desk. Makoto, Minako and Rei looked on worriedly beside their blue-haired friend.

"Usagi-chan?" Ami called again.

Finally, Usagi lifted her head, "Hai, Ami-chan?"

"Daijoubu desu ka?" Rei butted in.

As much as Usagi wanted to tell them what was bothering her, a part of her was worried they wouldn't understand. Besides, it's not like it was such a big problem, after all. She didn't even know why she was so sad. It's not like they were together to begin with, right? Oh, but she wanted them to be.

"Hai, daijoubu. I'm just tired," was Usagi's meek reply before once more burying her head in her hands.

Her friends looked at each other worriedly, but they didn't press. Surely Usagi would tell them when she was ready. After classes had let out, Usagi bade farewell to her friends and made her way to Motoki's arcade.

Although Motoki could understand why Mamoru needed to stay away from Usagi – and really, he wanted to keep the girl safe as well – nothing could have prepared him for the sight of the depressed blonde almost three weeks after Mamoru had told her in no kind words to "get away from him". Not only was her hair seemingly limping, her once sparkling blue eyes now held only a dull shine. It seemed as if all life left her, and Motoki's heart went out to his self-appointed younger sister.

"Usagi-chan, how about a chocolate milkshake?" he offered kindly as she took a seat at the counter.

"That would be nice. Arigatou, Motoki-niisan," Usagi answered in a tired voice. When he placed the drink in front of her, she didn't gulp it down as she normally would. Instead, she played around with the straw a bit before taking a slow sip.

Motoki had seen Usagi both in her cheerful and depressed states, but nothing was quite like this. She had never reacted in such a manner before. She was often loud, wailing instead of quiet tears – that was what he was used to. Seeing her like this scared him more than he let on. As much as he wanted to keep her safe, he knew that he would do anything to make sure she was happy. That's what older brothers did, after all.

He took a seat beside her and, once he got her attention, he said, "Usagi-chan, how do you feel about Mamoru?"

The high schooler's eyes widened in surprise at his question before they returned to their dull state. "The truth, Motoki-niisan? I love him."

The way she said it without any hesitation surprised the sandy-haired man. Never had he heard her say it that way before. He had known her throughout her high school years, and he heard her speak of her many crushes. That was all they were, they both knew – crushes. Now, here she was, telling him in the simplest words that she loved the leader of the most notorious gang in Tokyo. He had an inkling, really it was hard to miss, but to hear her state it just like that… it blew his mind away. Who knew she had such strong feelings for that man?

"Are you sure, Usagi-chan? You know how dangerous his life is. You could get hurt," Motoki really didn't want to have to say what he did, but he felt it his duty to keep the young girl safe.

Usagi gave him a watery smile, "Sure, Motoki-niisan? I'm not sure at all. But, I need him. Ever since I met him, I was drawn to him. The moment I found out who he was, of course I was a bit scared. I was unsure if I should keep talking to him, much less meeting up with him. But, I couldn't go away. When I'm with him, I feel safe, protected, and like nothing else in this world matters except him. I've never felt this way before, and frankly, I don't care how dangerous it is. I love him. I really do. I just wish I knew why he no longer wants to see me at all." With this, the tears burst forth, and though Usagi tried to muffle her sobs – the first time Motoki's ever seen her do so – she couldn't stop the sound from reaching Motoki's ears and tearing at his heart.

His little sister was all mature and grown up now, he could see, and it hurt him immensely to have to see the pain she was so obviously going through. He immediately gathered her in a hug and patted her back, doing his best to soothe her tears.

It took around an hour – rather short a time for all the tears she had to bottle up inside for three weeks – but Usagi finally calmed down long enough for Motoki to face her and tell her what she needed to hear.

"Usagi-chan, Mamoru has never had anyone, I'm sure you know – no one to take care of him, no one to worry about him, no one to talk with him about the things you two talked about. The first time you two met here, I was surprised to hear you arguing. If Mamoru didn't want to talk, he definitely wouldn't, no matter how much anyone bothered him or the like. He's always been calm and cool, and he never let anything get to him. The fact that he bantered with you at all shows how special you are to him. It's probably because no one has ever stood up to him the way you have. It's either people respect him (his gang members or other gangs), try to kill him (rival gangs), or stay away from him (other women and citizens). He has a few friends, I'm sure, but other than that, he's mostly alone.

"But you, Usagi-chan, you're different. You have a loving family and friends who care about you. You're graduating high school in a few more months, and you've got an entire future waiting for you. A lot of people care about you, and you care about a lot of people. No one wants to see you get hurt, and Mamoru knows that people will miss you. As much as he probably wants to keep you by his side too, he would never forgive himself if anything were to happen to you, and that may very well happen given his reputation. So, you have to understand, Usagi-chan, why Mamoru did what he had to do."

"But, Motoki-niisan –" Motoki put a finger to her lips; he wasn't done yet.

"And although I want nothing more than for you to be safe as well, Usagi-chan, I understand how much you need him. More than your safety – although I know I shouldn't – I want to see you happy. You're my imouto, after all," at this, he smiled at her, "So, I'm going to tell you how you can meet up with him, BUT you have to promise me you'll be careful, Usagi-chan. I really don't want anything to happen to you."

Usagi couldn't help but smile. She quickly hugged Motoki and said into his shirt, "Arigatou, 'niisan."

Motoki just knew this was a bad idea somehow, but seeing her smile after three weeks was a relief. And, deep inside, Motoki knew that Mamoru would never let anything hurt the blonde angel.


	5. Chapter 5

The next day, Usagi skipped school. Motoki had told her that Mamoru passed by that street during the time she was supposed to be in class, so that he wouldn't bump into her. Knowing that, Usagi purposely didn't go to class to catch him.

As one o'clock rolled around, sure enough, Usagi caught sight of her midnight-eyed love strolling along the street accompanied by a retinue of four other men. One of the men had long dark brown hair and eyes of the same shade. He was tall and definitely looked strong. Another had blonde hair up to his shoulders. His deep green eyes spoke of intelligence. Near the rear stood another blonde man, his hair cropped short. His eyes were clear as he chattered animatedly to the group. Beside Mamoru stood a rather imposing man with long straight silver hair and sharp eyes. These men intimidated Usagi just a bit, but she wouldn't let that stop her from somehow reaching Mamoru.

As the men took a few more steps towards the place where Usagi was hiding, she decided it was now or never. She moved away from her hiding place and quickly rushed up to Mamoru. Before she could even get within a few feet of him, however, the four gangsters immediately moved to block their dark-haired leader from her view. If they seemed intimidating when they were fairly relaxed a while ago, they were definitely more frightening to Usagi now that they had each assumed a cold stance. She knew they were probably just protecting Mamoru, as if he needed to be protected, but she couldn't help but worry if they would hurt her. She just wanted to talk to the man, after all.

Before she could utter a word, a command was spoken from behind the four individuals, "Move."

"But, Prince –" the man with the silver mane started.

"I said, MOVE, Kunzite," Mamoru's voice came out strongly.

Reluctantly, the four men stood aside from their leader, allowing him passage to Usagi and her to him. Now that she could see him clearly, standing but a few feet away from her, she couldn't stop the tears that sprung to her eyes. Mamoru hated to see her cry, but he couldn't let her get hurt, so he tried to get her to once again leave him alone.

"What are you doing here, Tsukino? Don't you have school?" he spoke coldly to her.

Already knowing what he was trying to do thanks to what Motoki had told her, Usagi didn't let his cold tone deter her from her task. Without waiting for him to say anymore, she plunged right in.

"BAKA! Mamoru wa baka! How could you just leave like that after all we shared with each other!? To protect me!? Yeah right! If you were trying to protect me, how does staying away help at all!? If something were to happen to me and you weren't there because you were so busy 'staying away', pray tell _how_ would you protect me!? Don't you know how miserable I've been, thinking I did something to drive you away? Don't you know how lonely I was these past three weeks because I couldn't see you? Don't you know how much **I love you**? And don't you know that if you really wanted to protect me, you would never leave me, because I always feel safest when I'm with you?" What started out as Usagi shouting at Mamoru ended with her murmuring and tears falling rapidly from her eyes.

Mamoru couldn't believe his ears as he heard each word Usagi said. Each crystalline tear that dropped from her eyes tore at his heart. When he heard her ask what he would do if something were to happen to her while he wasn't around, he felt like he was stabbed in the gut. When she told him how she blamed herself for his absence in her life, the guilt slowly ate away at him. When she told him she loves him and that she felt safest with him, he couldn't control himself anymore. It took all of a few seconds to grab at her and pull her into his arms.

This was what Usagi had been dreaming off ever since she met the dark-haired gangster. She had wanted for so long to feel his arms holding her like this, never wanting him to let go. Her tears didn't stop, but she couldn't have cared less. She tried to bury herself in his chest and arms. It was only when his arms tightened even more around her that she realized he was speaking.

"Usako, I'm so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you; I didn't want you to have to go through such pain. I thought I was doing what was best for you. I'm so different from you. You've got so many people who love you and who would be sad if anything were to happen to you. I couldn't do that to them, to you. You're special. You've always been special to me, ever since I first met you. I was scared to lose you. I'm sorry, so so sorry. I love you so much, Usako." Usagi felt a damp spot near her shoulder and realized Mamoru was crying.

She hugged him tightly before pushing him away so that she could look into his eyes. "You could never hurt me if you're with me, Mamo-chan. I know you'd never let anything happen to me. Even if I were safe, how could I stand it if something happened to you and I wasn't there? I need you, Mamo-chan. Please don't leave me again."

Her clear blue orbs, shining with tears, were his undoing. He couldn't deny her – or himself for that matter – even if he tried. As he promised not to leave her, he also made a promise to himself that he would never let anything harm her.

"I love you, Usako," he said as he looked into her joyful eyes; then, he kissed her.

Behind them, Mamoru's entourage couldn't help the discreet smirks crossing their faces at the actions of their leader. It was about time, if you asked them. They had known there was something bothering Mamoru for some time now; after all, they were his closest friends, sans Motoki. They just never expected his problem to be a girl. They were happy for him. He finally found someone who loved him completely and who he could give all his love.


	6. Chapter 6

After Usagi's and Mamoru's confessions, they had gone to Motoki's arcade to tell him the good news. He was thrilled, of course, especially on seeing the smiles on the couple's faces. He didn't realize how long it's been since he'd seen either of them smile. He also made sure to threaten Mamoru, saying that he'd better take care of Usagi or else – not that Mamoru would have done any less.

Usagi had also been properly introduced to the four young men with Mamoru. Kunzite, the man who spoke up at Mamoru's order earlier, served as an older brother figure to her love. Despite his seemingly serious demeanor, he was rather protective of the Midnight Rose's leader. Zoicite was as intelligent as his eyes had hinted at. She was pretty sure he could have easily conversed with Ami on those difficult subjects her friend so loved reading about. Jadeite was the short-haired blonde, and Usagi had no trouble believing him to bring humor to the group. He chatted amiably and easily drew laughs from her. Nephrite was the man with the brown hair and eyes. He too seemed highly protective of Mamoru, but he was more inclined to smile and joke around as compared to Kunzite.

Amusingly enough, the four men took to calling Mamoru "Prince". Usagi couldn't really understand why. It could have been due to the wealth Mamoru received from his parents, or perhaps because he was like the son of their previous leader. Whatever the reason, she understood that they used it as a term of endearment more than anything. It was proof to her that they wouldn't let anything happen to him. She knew she could trust them to keep him safe.

With all the events of the previous day, Usagi happily went back to school. Her friends were really worried about her, especially since she had been down in the dumps for weeks on end already. Just as they were about to interrogate her, giving up on the idea of waiting for her to tell them, she came into the classroom as bubbly as she used to. They were surprised at the sudden change in their friend's disposition, but upon seeing the glow they had so come to miss in their companion's aura, they decided to leave her alone and, instead, simply revel in her good mood.

That afternoon, the group of friends decided to celebrate Usagi's return to character by going out for a snack. They had barely turned down the street a block away from Juuban High when hands grabbed out at them from all directions. Members of a nearby gang had decided to accost the girls and have some fun with them. Makoto was the only one who had taken any form of martial arts, but even then, the gangsters outnumbered them and fighting might have risked her friends.

The girls were rather scared, especially as the leader of the group began to move his hand under Usagi's top, but the young girl's eyes immediately brightened upon hearing a familiar deep voice call out from behind her captor.

"Let them go," Mamoru's eyes flashed as he caught sight of the man's hand holding on to Usagi's bare waist.

A second order wasn't needed as all men immediately released the girls and began to move away from the head of Tokyo's most feared gang. "Chi- Chiba-san! Go- gomenasai! We didn't, we didn't know these were _your_ girls!" the leader stammered an apology.

It took no less than a few short strides for Mamoru to grab onto the leader's collar and drag him off the ground. With a cold voice and flashing eyes, he was told never to lay a hand on any of the girls behind them, especially Usagi. Giving instructions to inform all other gangs that death would befall anyone who so much as came within how many feet of Usagi again, Mamoru released him with one last threat as the said man and his cronies scrambled to get away.

Once they were out of sight, Mamoru turned to ask if Usagi was all right, only to have the blonde angel launch herself straight into his arms. "Usako?"

"Mamo-chan, you came," the girl's voice was muffled by his shirt, but he heard her clearly anyway.

"Of course. I promised to protect you, didn't I?" he said gently as he lifted her face to him.

The smile she had on was blinding, and he didn't hold back the urge to kiss her. "Are you all right, Usako? Did they do anything to you?"

She shook her head, "No, you came just in time. Arigatou, Mamo-chan."

It was only until after he kissed her gently once again that both of them remembered her friends who were staring agape at the couple.

"U- Usagi-chan?" Makoto stuttered in askance.

"Um, minna-chan, this is Chiba Mamoru, my boyfriend," Usagi stated warily, seeing the obvious disapproval of her friends.

"Usagi-chan, do you know who he is?" Rei haughtily asked. She was rather jealous at how handsome the man with Usagi was, but she was well aware of his reputation.

Usagi somehow knew she wasn't going to like this conversation one bit. Before answering her friends' questions, she turned to Mamoru and said, "Mamo-chan, I need to talk to my friends. Thank you again for saving us."

The man glanced at the faces of Usagi's friends and didn't like the idea of her facing them alone. He was about to tell her as much when she pulled him into a kiss. As she broke away from him, the look in her eyes could only make him nod in defeat. There was no changing her mind, he knew.

"At least let me walk you to wherever you're going. I wouldn't feel right having you walk on your own after what just happened."

Usagi smilingly agreed. She then turned to her friends and said, "We'll talk, but not here."

Usagi led her friends to the arcade, with Mamoru not letting go of her hand the entire trip there. When they finally reached the building, Mamoru made to head inside with her, but she stopped him.

"Mamo-chan…" She gave him a pointed look, and he sighed.

"I don't want to have you do this alone, Usako."

She smiled up at him, "I'll be fine, I promise."

Unable to do anything, he nodded, spared a wary glance towards her friends, then proceeded to scoop her up for a kiss before letting her go. "I love you, Usako."

She could only reply, "I love you too" as she watched him walk away.

Once she could no longer see him, she shook her head to get rid of the haze that settled there after his kiss, then turned to her friends and led them inside the establishment.

Motoki had seen the short exchange between the couple before Usagi entered the arcade with her friends. He had also taken note of the wary glance Mamoru gave them. Feeling a bit wary himself, Motoki forced himself to keep his greeting cheerful as he waited for Usagi to make the first move.

"Konnichiwa, Motoki-niisan," Usagi smiled, "May my friends and I take a booth today?"

"Of course, Usagi-chan. Can I serve you anything?"

"Just a couple of milkshakes and maybe some fries, if it's not too much trouble," was her reply.

"No problem. Go ahead and take a seat. I'll bring it over."

"Arigatou gozaimasu, 'niisan."

With that, Usagi staked out a booth and plopped down, followed by her still silent friends. She knew they wouldn't be too silent for long. It was only a few minutes when Motoki came over with their order. He looked carefully at her after he put down the food and drinks, but she waved him off with a slight assurance. He nodded and left her to deal with the fall out.

It was Makoto who started the conversation. "Usagi-chan, what do you mean Chiba Mamoru is your boyfriend?"

Usagi sighed. At least that was a start. "I mean just that. We've been seeing each other for almost two months now, had a break for about three weeks, and yesterday, we confessed and I became his girlfriend and him my boyfriend."

"Do you even know who Chiba Mamoru is?" Rei asked angrily.

"Do you mean that he's the one person who makes my heart beat fast and makes me feel protected in his embrace? Or that he's the sweetest man I know and he always keep me safe?" Usagi didn't mean to act dense, but she wanted her friends to see him as more than just the gang leader the rest of Tokyo took him for.

"He's the infamous leader of Midnight Rose, Usagi-chan! They're a dangerous gang who are known to be ruthless and kill others without hesitation!" Ami remarked fearfully.

"Only those who try to hurt other people," Usagi defended.

"Usagi-chan, can't you see!? He's all wrong for you! You're sweet and innocent, but he can totally break you if he wanted to! Is he the reason you've been depressed those past weeks!?" Minako exclaimed.

"Of course he can break me – because I love him! How is it so wrong, huh!? Just because he's a gang leader, is that it? Because everyone's too busy being afraid for themselves, they don't try to understand how the members of Midnight Rose are people too!? Did you guys even know that the Midnight Rose is the one who keeps other gangs from hurting innocent people? Did you know they help the police with cases that are too dangerous and risky? Did you know that Mamo-chan protected me even before he knew who I was, when there was that shooting on the streets months ago!?

"I thought you guys would understand. You're my friends, after all. I thought you'd be happy that I've found someone who loves me so much, he'd do anything to protect me. I thought you'd see how much I love Mamo-chan, how much I need him! Yes, he's the reason I was depressed, because he tried to stay away from me to protect me. But, I can't bear to be apart from him. I love him so much! You guys saw how I was without him, and still you tell me to stay away from him!? You guys just don't understand; you don't understand at all!"

With a frustrated sob, Usagi ran away from the arcade and from her friends. They tried to call out to her, but she was too far away for her to hear.

The four teenagers looked worriedly at each other. They were unsure of what to do about the situation and were planning to leave when Motoki came up to them.

"I probably don't have any right to say anything, but I figured I'd just go ahead and say it anyway. I've known Usagi-chan her whole high school life. I consider her my little sister. I've also known Mamoru for a long time. When I first saw the two of them together, I was surprised. They come from such different worlds, after all. When I saw them arguing and talking, I figured it wouldn't hurt for me to let them be. Then, Mamoru told me he had to stop seeing Usagi-chan because he was afraid that she'd get hurt. I agreed and thought it the best course of action. Unfortunately, we both forgot to take Usagi-chan's own feelings into consideration.

"After three weeks of witnessing Usagi-chan more depressed than I'd ever seen her, I finally decided to confront her about it. She told me how much she loved Mamoru, how much she needed him. Somehow, I couldn't help but agree. As much as I didn't want her to get hurt, I wanted more to see her happy. So, I told her how to talk to Mamoru again. Now, they're together, and they've never been happier, let me tell you. Knowing that, I can say I was able to make the right choice.

"I can understand that, as her friends, you're all worried about her, but would you rather she be safe but sad, or that she's happy? And, if it's any consolation, like I said, I know Mamoru. He would rather die than let anything harm Usagi-chan."

With those parting words, Motoki left each girl to her thoughts. He only hoped they'd make the right choice like he did. He knew how much Usagi treasured her friends.


	7. Chapter 7

The weekend passed, and the following day, in school, Usagi tried her best to ignore her friends. She was still hurt that they couldn't accept her choices and her feelings. She wanted so badly for them to understand. She was hoping they would share her joy with her. Instead, here they were, keeping a cold distance as if they had never been friends.

When the final bell rang, Usagi jumped out of her seat and made her way to the door. Makoto grabbed her arm before she could get too far. "Usagi-chan, may we talk to you?"

"If this is about how wrong Mamo-chan is for me, I don't want to hear it," Usagi said coldly, her face turned away from the girls.

"But, Usagi-chan, what if he's just using you? You love him, but what if –"

'He doesn't really love you?' is what Minako was going to say, but Usagi burst out before she could finish.

"NO! I won't listen to you treating him like the enemy! I love him and he loves me! That's all that really matters! Why can't you guys accept that!?" With that, Usagi tore her arm away from Makoto's grasp and ran out of the school.

"Usagi-chan!" The girls refused to let their blonde friend get hurt as she surely would be if her relationship with that man continued. They chased after her outside the school, but they were suddenly stopped by a group of six men.

"Are these the girls?" one man asked as the group encircled the high schoolers.

"What do you want with us!? Let us pass!" Makoto growled angrily.

"Hah! Yeah right. We hear that hotshot Chiba Mamoru sent an order that you weren't to be touched. We wanted to see why. I didn't take him for a pedophile though." The man laughed.

"Hey Boss, there are only four of them." one of the cronies pointed out.

"Hm, you're right. I hear that man's 'girlfriend' is a pig-tailed blonde. I don't see her among the group. How sad. She's the one I most wanted to see too. Just imagine what that man would do if I had her with me," the leader smirked.

The four teens realized they were talking about Usagi. Just as they were about to be glad they hadn't caught up with her, they heard a familiar voice shout to them. "Rei-chan! Ami-chan! Mina-chan! Mako-chan!"

The four looked in muted horror as their friend came back for them, close enough for their captors to grab her.

"Well, well, well, lookie here. Guess we got to meet the infamous girlfriend, after all," the leader murmured sadistically.

"Let my friends go," Usagi said sternly.

"Haha, are you sure you're supposed to be making such demands, little girl? I believe we're the ones who are in control here."

"You want me, don't you? Because I'm Mamoru's girlfriend? So, you don't need them. Let them go," Usagi stated fearlessly.

"Ah, ah, ah. You're a smart one, aren't you? But not smart enough, I suppose. After all, you came to us so willingly. Still, I have the better odds here. More hostages are much harder to rescue than just one, after all. And that idiot Mamoru will try and rescue you all. He's too softhearted to be a gang leader, what with saving the citizens and all. What a joke!" the leader cackled.

"You're just insulting him because you know he's much better than any of you! You have to resort to using cheap tactics like taking hostages because you're too afraid to take him on one-on-one. And besides that, only stupid gangs like yours recklessly attack innocent people for no reason whatsoever."

The man growled, "I see we've got a little spitfire here, don't we? Maybe that's why Mamoru likes you. Haha, no worries. I'm gonna make sure you'll have nothing more to say once I'm through with you."

He took out a blade and advanced on Usagi while her friends could only watch helplessly behind her.

A member of another gang allied with the Midnight Rose had seen what was happening and immediately went to report to Mamoru. Upon hearing the news, it didn't take him long to get to the scene, his trusted friends with him.

"Didn't I warn you all not to go near them?" Mamoru had growled by way of greeting.

Seeing the Midnight Rose leader, the man immediately grabbed Usagi and held the blade to her neck, while his gang members crowded around the four other girls. They were prepared for a fight.

"Haha, you're so naïve. Do you think we'd actually stay away when we hear there's a weakness we can so easily exploit?" The man moved the blade even closer to Usagi's throat.

Her friends gasped in worry, and Mamoru's eyes flashed dangerously. "You think she's a weakness, do you?"

"Of course!" the man gleefully explained, "See how you can't so much as make a move while I have her in my grasp?"

Mamoru ignored him and, instead, focused his eyes on Usagi's. In her eyes, he could see her complete trust and faith in him. He could feel her love shining so blatantly at him from her clear blue orbs. With one look from her, he felt like he could take on the world.

Before the man even knew what was happening, a knife flew by, forcing him to drop the knife he was holding as blood poured out of a large gash on his arm. Usagi immediately turned around and kicked the man in the groin, so that he released her, and she quickly ran to Mamoru's waiting arms.

The moment the knife left Mamoru's hand, his loyal entourage had already started on the members of that man's gang. It took less than a few moments to disarm each person and leave him unconscious on the ground, freeing the girls from their entrapment. As for Mamoru, once ascertaining Usagi's safety, he turned to the still bleeding man.

"Let me repeat myself. Do you really think she's my weakness? I warned you all to stay away from her. If you need proof that I mean business, perhaps we should start with you," Mamoru coldly stated.

The girls turned away as Mamoru wasted no time in killing the man who had threatened his love's safety. Once sure that no life was left in the criminal, the dark-haired leader turned to Usagi.

"Usako," he began.

She quickly grabbed him in a hug, not quite different from what happened a few days prior, "I knew you'd save me."

He tightened his hold around her, "Let's get you home, love."

Usagi had no qualms to this. Mamoru signaled to his friends, sparing an almost pitying glance at the girls, before he walked away, Usagi in his arms.

The girls could only watch mutedly, until the group of men and Usagi had vanished from their sight. They made to move away from the unconscious and bleeding bodies as they discussed what happened.

"He loves her," Minako spoke up, not in a question, but a statement.

Ami nodded, and Makoto couldn't help but agree, "Yeah, and she really does love him."

"And he'll make sure she's safe, won't he?" Rei asked quietly.

The four girls didn't say anything for a while. "I guess, we were sort of jealous. I mean, the fact that Usagi-chan was so happy with him, and that he really does protect her," Rei said.

"Yeah, she's always been the most innocent among us. We were the ones who used to protect her. Now, she's got someone else who can do that job," Makoto grinned humorlessly.

"But that doesn't mean we aren't still her friends. She loves us too, you know, and I think it's time we love her just as much," Ami explained.

"Yeah. Let's talk to her tomorrow," Minako said with a smile.

The next day found the four girls apologizing profusely to Usagi. She forgave them instantly, glad that they could finally understand how happy she was with Mamoru.

"But, you guys know I love you too, right?" Usagi had asked.

They smiled and said, "Of course, Usagi-chan."


	8. Chapter 8

The months had flown by, and Usagi and her friends' graduation was coming up fast. They were just a bit stressed, no doubt due to their final exams, but they were also eager to be over and done with school. Of course, Usagi still spent time with Mamoru, often getting him to teach her.

On the last day of their exams, the girls were more than overjoyed to finally experience a taste of freedom from the stifling walls of their school, and they were prepared to go to the arcade to celebrate that freedom. As they reached the school gates, Usagi was pleasantly surprised to see Mamoru leaning on the wall, looking every bit the hot boyfriend.

She gleefully jumped into his arms and proceeded to kiss him in greeting, only to have her suddenly and roughly pulled away from her love. Upon turning to find out who the perpetrator was, she came face-to-face with the angry eyes of her father.

"Otousan!?"

The girls gasped, and they worried for Usagi and her relationship with Mamoru. They were well aware of how averse their friend's father was to her being near any sort of boy or man. It could only mean worse for them that Mamoru wasn't just any man, but the leader of the Midnight Rose.

"Tsukino-san…" the girls began to say, hoping to distract Usagi's furious father long enough for the couple to get away.

Before anyone could say anything else, Mamoru stepped forward and bowed at the waist in front of Usagi's father. "Konnichiwa, Tsukino-san. I am Chiba Mamoru, Usagi's boyfriend."

"I know very well what your name is, boy! And no, you are not Usagi's boyfriend. My daughter will have no boyfriend if I have anything to say about it!"

"Otousan! That's not fair! You can't decide my life for me!" Usagi shouted, enraged.

"You keep quiet! I come here to pick you up at the request of your mother because your aunt has come to visit until your graduation, and this is what I see! Do you even know who this man is, Tsukino Usagi!?"

"Why does everyone assume that I don't know who it is I'm dating!? I think you all don't know him very well yourselves! You have no right to judge him like you do! Well, thank you very much for coming to pick me up, but I think I can very well go home on my own!"

Usagi looked back apologetically at her friends, but they only nodded their heads in understanding, sending her smiles of encouragement. Thanking them silently, she turned to Mamoru who understood exactly what she was asking without her saying anything. He took her in his arms and proceeded to bring her home, leaving her father staring, dumbfounded, at the back of his daughter.

"Ano, Tsukino-san," Ami started, "We just want you to know that, well, we understand that you're just worried about Usagi-chan. We were too when we found out about Mamoru-san. But, we also learned rather quickly that he loves Usagi-chan more than anything, and he does everything he can to protect her. Besides, Usagi-chan really loves him. We're just asking that maybe you shouldn't be too hard on them."

"Too hard on them!?" Tsukino Kenji blew up. "That girl just wait till I get home!"

As he angrily stomped off, the girls looked worriedly in his direction. They hoped he'd come to understand his daughter's feelings, because if he didn't it would surely mean a lot of trouble. They knew Usagi would never give up on Mamoru no matter what her father did, and if worse came to worst, that would result in a big falling out of the Tsukino family. They hoped it wouldn't come to that.

When Usagi was about a block from her house, she suddenly stopped, causing Mamoru to look worriedly at her. "Usako?"

"Mamo-chan…" She was scared. She wasn't worried about losing Mamo-chan; she knew he'd always love her and never leave her. He promised, after all. What she _was_ worried about was what would happen when her father got home. She knew she lost her temper with him, but he was being unfair to Mamo-chan. She couldn't understand why it was such a big deal with everyone just because he was the leader of a gang. She loved him, and he loved her. Wasn't that all that mattered?

Mamoru understood that Usagi was troubled and scared about what was to come. He was grateful she had defended him both to her friends and her father. He knew no one else like her. She made his heart skip a beat whenever she smiled at him. One look from her gave him all the strength he would ever need. Her arms around him told him he'd just come home. Her love for him made him feel like the luckiest man in the world. He oftentimes wondered what he did to deserve her love. This was why, no matter what happened, he would never leave her alone.

He had allowed her to talk to her friends on her own, and look where that got him. He met her over the weekend, and she tearfully confessed to him how that discussion turned out. He knew she loved her friends immensely, and it pained him to see her crying because they couldn't understand how much the couple loved each other. There was no way he was going to let her have to go through something like that again on her own.

"Usako, I'm not leaving. We'll talk to your family, together," Mamoru whispered consolingly into her ear, holding her tightly in his arms.

Usagi couldn't fathom what she had done in her life to deserve this man. He loved her so much, and he protected her, not just physically but emotionally too. He always seemed to know what she needed to hear, and she knew he would keep his promise about being with her.

"Arigatou, Mamo-chan. Aishiteru."

He smiled at hearing her whispered confession, and he tilted her head so he could kiss her in response. Hand in hand, they walked the rest of the way to the Tsukino household.

Usagi had knocked on the door, and it only took a moment before it was opened by a woman almost the same height as her. The woman had long silver hair tied in the same style as Usagi's. Her smile was gentle, her eyes a clear blue. The resemblance between her and Usagi was uncanny; Mamoru thought she was Usagi's mom until Usagi's greeting proved otherwise.

"Auntie Serenity! You're here!" Usagi released Mamoru's hand to hug the woman before them.

"Hello, my little Usa-chan. I thought you'd be home with your father?" Even the woman's voice portrayed gentleness.

"Well, you see…" At Usagi's hesitation, Mamoru immediately reclaimed Usagi's hand and stepped forth to introduce himself.

"Konnichiwa. I am Chiba Mamoru," Mamoru greeted politely, bowing down at the waist to the woman before him.

A knowing smile crossed Serenity's face as she watched both the handsome man before her and her own niece's loving look cast on him, not to mention their hands which were tightly entwined.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mamoru-san. Oh, how rude of me. Let me invite you both inside. Usa-chan, your mother is in the kitchen."

"Arigatou, Auntie Serenity," Usagi said with a smile. Her aunt always seemed to understand her. It was one of the reasons she was Usagi's favorite relative, after all.

As they made their way inside, Usagi pulled Mamoru to the direction of the kitchen. At the entrance of the said room, she took a breath and called her mother's attention.

Tsukino Ikuko was a petite woman just a bit taller than Usagi. She had wavy blue hair that reached her waist. Her kind eyes and smile spoke much about how she was as mother.

"Usagi, you're home! Oh, where's your father? I sent him to pick you up. Have you met your aunt? She's been waiting to see you, you know," Ikuko fussed over her daughter.

"Okaasan, I'm fine. Yes, I've seen Auntie Serenity; she opened the door for **us**."

On hearing the emphasis on the plural pronoun, the blue-haired woman raised an eyebrow. It was only then that she saw her daughter's hand clasped tightly in another person's own, and it definitely didn't look to belong to her husband.

Seeing as she caught her mother's attention, Usagi nervously pulled Mamoru into the room to face her mother. "Okaasan, this is Chiba Mamoru, my… boyfriend."

"Konnichiwa, Tsukino-san," Mamoru was bowing yet again.

Oh, Ikuko knew who this man was. That is to say, she was well aware of his reputation around Tokyo. She had heard the stories, of course, but today was the first time she had seen him face-to-face. She took a cursory glance at the man before turning back around to turn off the stove.

"I think we should talk in the living room, don't you?" Ikuko said with a smile, waving at Serenity, who was standing a few steps behind the couple, to join them.

The two ladies of the family led the couple to the living room. Ikuko and Serenity each took a seat on the family couch, while Mamoru pulled Usagi down on his lap on the loveseat. The two older women couldn't help but smile at this display. Before anyone could speak a word though, Kenji burst in through the door, looking every bit like a raging bull.

"Where is that girl!?"

"Kenji dear, what are you so mad about?" Ikuko asked her husband, alarmed.

It did nothing for the man's temper to see his daughter on Mamoru's lap in his home. "Get off him," he said with fury lacing his every word. Mamoru only tightened his hold on Usagi in response.

Seeing where this was going, Serenity immediately took charge. "Kenji, sit down. Let them explain before you go off into your overprotective anger."

"Explain!? EXPLAIN!? They explained just fine to me a while ago in front of her school!" Kenji exploded even more.

"Sit. Down." Serenity's calm voice beheld authority and brooked no room for disagreement.

Although he wanted nothing less than to sit down, Usagi's father did so as he was unable to do otherwise at Serenity's tone. Once he was seated, the silver-haired woman faced the couple, compassion and understanding in her eyes. "Usa-chan, would you please explain what's going on?"

Strengthened by Mamoru's presence and her aunt's understanding, Usagi began to speak, telling her family about how she met Mamoru, how he protected her, how her friends accepted him, and how much she loved him. As she ended her tale, there was a minute or two of silence.

"No, I refuse to accept him!" Kenji shouted out.

"Otou –" Usagi started, but Mamoru put a hand on her shoulder.

"Sir, I understand that you are worried about your daughter. You do not want her to associate herself with me because of my background and reputation. Indeed, I cannot assure her a stable life, much less a safe one." Usagi tried to protest, but Mamoru squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"However, I love your daughter very much, and she loves me as well, more than I deserve I'm sure. Although I cannot say that she will always be safe, as has been proven to you in the stories of past events, I would do everything in my power to make sure she remains unharmed in any way. I'd rather die than have something happen to her." Mamoru chanced a glance at Usagi before pushing on with the hardest part of what he had to say.

"When I say that I would make sure she doesn't get hurt, I mean it both physically and emotionally. I have promised Usako that I will never leave her, and I intend to keep my promise, whether or not you approve. I am almost sure that, should you try to keep her away from me, Usako would just as well leave here to be with me than to stay here, living miserably. I would rather, though, that she not have to make such a decision as she loves her family very much." Mamoru looked lovingly down at the girl in his arms, while she too smiled at him and buried herself in his embrace.

"So, Sir, I am begging you to please consider your daughter's feelings. I am sure that, above all, you want to see her happy," Mamoru finished, looking directly at Kenji.

Serenity couldn't stop the smile from creeping across her face. Pride towards her niece, for not only choosing a man who loves her so completely, but for standing up for her love, filled her heart. She also felt immense joy at the words of the man spoken so sincerely to convince Kenji of his daughter's, and ultimately, the couple's feelings for each other. If her niece's father still refused to accept them, she'd make sure he did.

Ikuko, on the other hand, had tears crawling down her face at the love so blatantly displayed by her daughter and her daughter's chosen love. Although she would be lying to say she wasn't worried for the safety of her daughter, the man's sincere words and his expressions of love for Usagi were all the proof she needed to know that he would do everything he could to take care of her. Her husband was a stubborn man, to be sure, but if he screwed this up, he would have hell to pay with her.

Tsukino Kenji was oftentimes a proud and stubborn man, but he was definitely not stupid. He knew that, despite his anger at this man for taking his daughter away from him, Mamoru spoke the truth about Usagi's course of action should he reject their love. He also knew that his wife wouldn't let him hear the end of it, and Serenity would surely force him to accept the couple than let him destroy her niece's life, even if it was all supposedly for her best interest. With a heavy heart and an even heavier sigh, Kenji knew when to accept defeat. Looking up into Mamoru's straightforward eyes, he supposed his daughter could've chosen a worse person to be with. With this in mind, he reluctantly gave his approval.

Usagi gasped, utterly delighted when she heard her father's acceptance of her relationship with Mamoru. She hurriedly got off Mamoru's lap and threw herself on her father in a hug, a million thanks rushing past her lips. Her father patted her kindly on the head, a caring smile directed towards his only daughter. Serenity and Ikuko soon joined in gathering the small blonde into a hug, congratulations bursting forth from the two women. And, while all this was going on, Mamoru stood to the side, watching his now **official** girlfriend, an unmistakably loving look in his eyes.


	9. Chapter 9

It was finally Usagi and the girl's graduation. Their families were seated in the assigned chairs behind the graduates. Each student would be called to receive their diploma on stage, and their parents would be there to greet them at the bottom. After each student had gotten his or her diploma, the school song would be sung, and the students would finally be free of Juuban High.

Although Usagi was a bit sad to know that Mamoru couldn't sit with her parents or the rest of the guests because of his reputation, she knew he was there watching her in the shadows. She had caught a glimpse of him before the ceremony, after all.

She had told her friends about what happened with her family. They were happy for her and supported the two of them. They truly accepted him now, and she was thrilled to know this. Mamoru's relationship with her father was still a bit strained though, but her mother and aunt were more than accepting of him. She was very thankful for that. If it weren't for them, she might not have been able to take her father's sometimes disapproving glances in Mamoru's direction.

She couldn't wait for the ceremony to end. She had promised to spend lunch with her family, but she had been allowed to go out for dinner with Mamoru. She was so excited. She didn't know what would happen now that she was no longer a high school student, but as long as Mamoru was with her, she was sure she could manage. Now, if only the ceremony would go by just a bit faster.

As the last notes of the school song finally floated away, Usagi was more than ready to leave. She and her friends took countless pictures together in the gardens outside the school building before Usagi made her way over to her family. She was only a few feet away from them when a shot rang out within the school walls.

People started screaming and running to get away from the entrance to the school where a group of almost twenty men stood with firearms. Usagi tried to look for Mamoru, only to find him already in front of her, holding her tightly. He whispered for her to take her friends and family to the back of the school where Kunzite and the others were, so that they could lead them to safety. But, Usagi looked worriedly at Mamoru.

"How about you, Mamo-chan?"

He smiled at her in a reassuring manner, "Don't worry about me, Usako. I'll take care of these men, then I'll come for you."

"Demo, Mamo-chan –"

He kissed her lightly. "I promised, didn't I? I'll always return to you. Now go, please."

Reluctantly, Usagi drew her family and friends away from the fight, mingling with the already running people so as not to call attention to them. For some reason, she couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen to Mamoru. She was so worried that she wasn't quite watching where she was going until she bumped into Jadeite.

"Yo, Princess. You okay?" Jadeite asked, seeing the worry in the young girl's eyes.

"Jade-kun, I'm worried about Mamo-chan. I don't know why, but I feel like something bad will happen to him." Usagi bit her lip.

Hearing the blonde's fears, Kunzite approached the two, "Don't worry. I'm going to go back for him. I'll make sure nothing happens to the Prince."

Usagi nodded, but she was still rather bothered. Zoicite and Nephrite quickly and quietly led the people out of the school. As they moved further away, Usagi couldn't help looking back at the building, the restless feeling in her pounding hard against her chest. Finally, unable to stand it any longer, she broke away from the group and rushed back to where her love was.

Upon reaching the clearing where she parted with her boyfriend, Usagi's heart almost stopped at the scene before her. Mamoru was surrounded by fifteen men, all with their guns pointing at him. Kunzite and Jadeite were unable to do anything as each had two men holding them at gunpoint as well. Usagi was so scared for the dark-haired leader of the Midnight Rose that she wasn't thinking at all as she ran towards him, shouting his name.

"Mamo-chan!"

At her cry almost all the men on the field turned towards her. Mamoru's eyes widened upon seeing his love running towards him and danger. Without wasting a second of her distraction, Mamoru successfully took down almost five men, and Kunzite and Jadeite took down the four who had their guns at them. The man standing away from the group, obviously the leader of the gang, began shouting for his men to shoot at the members of the Midnight Rose. Usagi looked worriedly to where she had last seen Mamoru, unaware of the man with his gun pointed at her. Mamoru spotted the man just as he pulled the trigger. With a surprising amount of speed, he managed to take the bullet before it reached his angel.

"Mamo-chan!" Usagi screamed, as she saw Mamoru take the shot meant for her.

Before she could run to him, he lunged at the man who had tried to kill his Usako, killing him almost immediately. It only took a few more minutes before more members of the Midnight Rose came and took care of the remaining opponents. Without paying any more attention to ongoing battle, Usagi rushed towards her wounded Prince.

"Mamo-chan, I'm so sorry! You told me to leave, but I didn't, and now you're hurt because of me," Usagi cried as she held on to Mamoru's bleeding body.

"Shh, Usako. Don't cry. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't just be bleeding. So, thank you, Usako," he tried to soothe her.

"Are you hurt? Did you get hit? Where are your family and your friends?" he suddenly worried.

Usako held on to his hand, which was caressing her cheek. "I'm fine; they're fine. I just… I had this feeling that something bad was going to happen to you. I couldn't… I just had to come back and check. When I saw you surrounded like that, I was so worried I was going to lose you. I was so scared, Mamo-chan!"

The tears she cried tugged at Mamoru's heart. "I'm alive, Usako. I'm okay; don't cry. I won't leave you, remember?"

She only cried harder as Mamoru pulled her into his embrace, kissing the top of her head to soothe her tears. It wasn't long after that when Kunzite and Jadeite came over to check on them, reporting to their leader that the gang's members had properly been disposed of.

He nodded at them, and Kunzite said, "Apologies, Prince. We weren't able to protect you nor the Princess."

Mamoru looked kindly at his friend's guilty faces. "It's neither of your faults. I'm fine, and so is Usako. That's all that matters."

Zoicite approached then, "Let me see your wound. We should be able to extract the bullet and patch it up rather quickly as long as it hasn't hit any vital organs."

Usagi moved carefully to allow Zoicite space to treat Mamoru. She kept her hold on him still though. As the blonde-haired man took care of her boyfriend, she turned to the two other men standing beside them.

"Kunz-kun, Jade-kun, arigatou for helping Mamo-chan," she said earnestly.

The two men were surprised at her honest thanks, feeling themselves unworthy of it, but her smile dispelled their protests. They merely nodded at her, and contented themselves with making sure their Prince was truly okay.

After Zoicite had cleaned up the wound, Usagi thanked him as well and proceeded to help Mamoru stand. The four men and Usagi then made their way over to her house, where Zoicite had explained Nephrite had taken her family and friends. Upon reaching the building, Usagi didn't hesitate to invite them inside, as she went to check on her loved ones.

"Usagi-chan/Usa-chan/Usagi!" They all screamed as they saw her, enveloping her in various hugs. Nephrite had been standing to the side watching over them.

"Guys, I'm fine, I'm fine. Please, Mamo-chan's hurt. Can he sit down?" With those words, Usagi moved Mamoru, so that he was sitting on the couch. He refused to let her go though, so she ended up sitting on his lap, though still mindful of his wound.

Ikuko figured that everyone was tired after the rattling events a few hours prior; hence, she offered for them to have lunch with the family. Usagi's friends, once they were sure Usagi was really all right, declined and said that they had to return to their own families. They bade the Tsukinos and the members of the Midnight Rose farewell before each taking their leave. But, the blue-eyed girl noticed the way each of her friends paid a lingering glance to some of the gang's elite guard, and she nudged Mamoru, pointing it out. He gave her an appraising smirk before ordering his friends to safely guide each of the girls home.

When the rest of the people left, Ikuko went on to prepare the meal, insisting that Mamoru join them. Although Kenji wasn't thrilled about the idea, he admitted that Mamoru had protected his daughter and thus, he owed the man at least some form of gratitude. Once lunch was over with, however, Usagi was hesitant to let Mamoru go. She knew they wouldn't be able to have dinner together because of his wound. He needed to rest, after all. But, she wanted to stay with him a bit longer.

At the suggestion of her aunt, she and Mamoru decided to spend the afternoon alone together in the nearby park. With the promise of taking her back home before it got too dark, Mamoru and Usagi headed to the grassy area, choosing to take a seat on the bench by the roses. After cuddling for a while in silence, Usagi spoke up.

"Mamo-chan?"

"Hai, Usako?"

"I love you, you know?"

"Yes, I do. And I love you, Usako, very much."

They were silent for a minute before Usagi giggled softly. Mamoru looked at her, puzzled. She giggled again before replying, "I always dreamed I'd fall in love with a prince. He'd come riding on his strong white steed and sweep me off my feet. I never expected to fall for a gangster instead, much less the infamous leader of the Midnight Rose. I remember when you told me that the first time we met, and I didn't know what to do. I'm just glad that I didn't stop arguing with you, because then I wouldn't be as happy as I am now. And, I've decided, my dream just can't compare to this. I've found my Prince."

She smiled at him, and Mamoru couldn't help kissing her with all the love in him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back with just as much fervor. When they finally broke apart, Mamoru presented her a rose, suspiciously absent of thorns.

"And you, my Princess, are more than I could have ever dreamed of."


End file.
